Broken Relations

A night of love

Shantanu looked at her, his expression one of confusion. The rain drops blurring his vision for a while. Still, he could see the nervousness on her face as she bit her lips, as she looked down, gulped and twiddled her fingers.

"Haan...bolo nah, Isha, kya bolna hain?" He asked in a low voice. The rain still surrounded them. Completely drenched in the rain, they stood there in the opposite of each other. Isha looked up and tucked a strand of her hair away as it was glued against her wet face.

"W..woh..," Isha stuttered. Shantanu looked curiously, yet concerned at her. He ran his through his wet hair and then took one of her hands in his'.

"Kya hua hain Isha, koii problem hain kya? Kuch hua hain?"

Isha looked into his eyes and slightly nodded in no. "Koii problem nahi hain Shantanu," She said her voice low. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest. His touch on her hand seemed to comfort her, it only deepened the urge to just pour out her feelings for him.

"Toh phir kya hua?"

Isha licked her lips,the taste of rain water coming into her mouth. With a last gulp, she decided to tell him. It was now or never.

"A..aaj Ishu aaya tha," she began. Isha watched Shantanu as his confused face transformed into a happy one.

"Accha? Yeh toh acchi baat hain, tum bhi bohot khush hui hongi nah, usse itne dinon baat dekh kar," Shantanu said, happily, unbeknownst to the things happened in his absence. A slight smiled made way to Isha's face. She nodded again.

"Haa Shantanu, khush toh main hui hi usse dekh kar, but kuch aur bhi hua, matlab m..mujhe pata chala."

Shantanu frowned again. "Kya?"

"L..letters," she brought out.

As soon as the word left Isha's mouth, Shantanu frowned, his lips parted in confusion.

"Kaunse letters?" He asked, his hands slightly trembling as he held Isha's hand. His eyes flickered in as rain drops fell into his eyes. He narrowed his eyes to prevent water  falling into his eyes. Isha looked at him, her eyes also flickering continuously. She held tighter onto his hand, knowing that he would be shocked by hearing the truth.

"Wahi letters joh tumne mere liye likhe the...par mujhe kabhi Mila hi nahi," Isha said, her head tilted a little to the side. Her now red eyes were mixed with rain drops and tears. Shantanu's heart skipped a beat. He had long forgotten the letters. Each and every letter he had written with love, patience and hope. A hope to find an answer back. A hope to hear from her. However, with time he had convinced himself that Isha had very much disappointment in her heart, hence she didn't want to write back to him.

But what he heard now, made him doubt his own statement.

"M..matlab?" He asked, not able to understand why she didn't get the letters. Isha gulped and putted her other hand on his hand, slightly making movements with her thumb to comfort him.

"Matlab letters joh tumne mere liye itne saalon se likhe the, woh mere paas kabhi nahi aaya, kyuki...kyuki usse tumhare hi ghar mein chupaa ke rakha jaata tha, tumhe lagta tha tum usse postman ke saath mere liye bhejte the, but aisa kuch nahi hota tha, akkasaheb woh letters apne paas chupa ke rakhti thi, Bas isiliye taaki hamare beech mein joh yeh faasle hain woh barkarar rahe, Isiliye taaki mere Dil mein joh maayusi hain, joh disappointment hain woh rahe, kisse shayad Laga ki mai..main tumhe kabhi maaf nahi karungi iss cheez ke liye," Isha explained.

Shantanu looked down, his heart ached badly. How much will his own family hurt him? He looked down and pressed his lips together. Not being able to believe that his sister-in-law really did that.